Major League Baseball wanted a challenge system for replay. Everyone except Major League Baseball said a challenge system would be flawed and would lead to problems. The Giants-Dbacks game last night showed us exactly what those problems are.

The Mariners got some good news on right-hander hisashi Iwakuma. Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports that the right-hander was fully cleared. Iwakuma will be able to resume his throwing program as he makes his way back from a strained middle finger. Mid-to-late April remains the target for his return. Iwakuma, 32, finished third…

Nick Franklin showed enough promise as a rookie second baseman for the Mariners last season that he seemed set as the team’s long-term answer there, but then they signed Robinson Cano for $240 million. That knocked Franklin out of the second base picture and forced him into a competition with Brad Miller to start at…

Released by the Mariners earlier this week, right-hander Scott Baker has agreed to a new minor-league contract with the Rangers. Texas was in the market for rotation depth with Yu Darvish, Matt Harrison, and Derek Holland all hurting, but Baker was a mess in Mariners camp and missed nearly all of the past two seasons…

UPDATE: CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that the deal includes two vesting options valued at $30 million each. If Cabrera maxes out the deal, he could make as much as $352 million over 12 years. 6:56 p.m. ET: The new money in the deal works out to eight years and $248 million, per FOX Sports’…

Released by the Nationals earlier this week, Chris Young has signed with the Mariners. And unlike most of these scenarios Young is actually getting a major-league deal and a spot in Seattle’s starting rotation. Young is coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome and didn’t pitch in the majors at all last season, but he was…

Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times explains the odd situation: After it seemed as Randy Wolf made the opening day starting rotation – which he apparently did, we learned that Wolf asked to be released from his contract and the Mariners granted his release. So what happened?’ Well, the Mariners told Wolf on Tuesday that…

Chris Young proved he’s recovered from thoracic outlet surgery this spring by posting a respectable 3.48 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in four Grapefruit League appearances for the Nationals. But there’s no spot for him on Washington’s major league roster and so he was let go in a round of cuts Tuesday in camp. Young did…

Between now and Opening Day, HardballTalk will take a look at each of baseball’s 30 teams, asking the key questions, the not-so-key questions, and generally breaking down their chances for the 2014 season. Next up: The Seattle Mariners. The Big Question: Robinson Cano and . . . then what? The Mariners certainly made the biggest…

According to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish, the Mariners granted Scott Baker his release today. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports that he asked for his release after declining an assignment to Triple-A. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, Baker appeared to have a rotation spot to lose after Hisashi…

Mariners starter Taijuan Walker made his first start of the spring against the Padres’ Triple-A squad in Peoria on Saturday. He allowed a run on two hits in one inning of work. The right-hander was shut down earlier this spring with inflammation in the bursa of his right shoulder. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times…

Mariners starter Taijuan Walker will throw in a minor league game in Peoria on Saturday, MLB.com’s Greg Johns reports. Johns adds that Walker is expected to throw 20-30 pitches over two innings against Triple-A competition. Walker was diagnosed with inflammation in the bursa of his right shoulder in late February and was promptly shut down…

Here’s something you don’t hear very often. Corey Hart signed with the Mariners because they offered three times the guaranteed money the Brewers did. That’s not the part you don’t hear very often. That happens a lot and it’s fine. What’s odd is Hart noting that, in addition to the money not being there, he…

Hisashi Iwakuma has been sidelined for more than a month with a strained tendon in his middle finger, but the Mariners right-hander has been cleared to resume throwing after meeting with doctors. Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that Iwakuma will start slow by throwing tennis balls Friday and then hopefully advance to…

Another day, another controversial tweet from Logan Morrison: If I were to be Native American. Would I not get taxed? If this is true, I'm so jealy! — Logan Morrison (@CupOfLoMo) March 17, 2014 You know, because white males have had it so tough. Yikes. Of course, Morrison has had a number of Twitter missteps…

Mariners shortstop Nick Franklin has been named in trade rumors throughout the off-season and into the spring. The Mets have been one team strongly linked to him. But with the Tigers hurting at the position after learning that Jose Iglesias will not be ready for the start of the regular season — at least —…

MLB.com’s Greg Johns has the status update … Good news from Taijuan Walker today as the youngster threw a 40-pitch bullpen session and said he felt great. Walker is likely a couple weeks still from throwing in a game and a few more from being Major League ready, in the best-case scenario, but the fact he’s…

With about two weeks to go until the start of the regular season, shortstop Stephen Drew and first baseman/DH Kendrys Morales still remain unemployed. Both players rejected $14.1 million qualifying offers from the Red Sox and Mariners, respectively, hoping to sign big, multi-year contracts, but it never happened. Meanwhile, players like Nelson Cruz and Ervin Santana,…